Mirinae

Mirinae

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Art by Silverins

A young wildclaw whose parents were breeders in a brutal shadow clan, Mirinae was quickly taken in by Euryale, who practically hovered around her nest until the hatchling was given to her. By then though, much of the damage had been done. Mirinae is coldly practical alongside her cheerful demeanor, and will just as soon say "Maul it!" with a smile. She has yet to get over her thin stature and light weight and has interpreted that as a challenge. She took after her adoptive mother's protective ferocity, leveraging her small size into speed and decisive strikes. She and Gerard get along remarkably well. Though Mirinae is much more direct than he is, the grim-minded couple have become ambassadors of a sort, helping to smooth over troubles caused by Raziel's borrowing or Euryale's adoptions. The arrangement seems to be more convenience for them rather than bonding; though they find each other attractive, they make much better working partners than mates. She's not proud but not ashamed to admit they are not the warmest parents. She oils her armor every other day now, from her perch atop the highest pillar in the clan. There's a forboding she can feel, coming from the Tangled Wood. You never know with her old clan; they were always incredibly unpredictable. Now that she's older and the clan is bigger, they've been on her mind more. She's going to be ready, whether she has to hunt them herself or if they come to her. The backup from the Demon Sisters would certainly be welcome. Mirinae herself is still the runt of the litter. They'll never see her coming.

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…It's been months. Months since she was sure they'd make a move. Trickmurk has come and gone without a hint of a shadeling's toe on the massive stairs between the flights. Gerard's diplomatic distractions are working and she's relaxing slowly. Mirinae finally changed her old iron armor for the more decorative (but still functional) pieces of the clan guard. The lax and roll-along Zei has opened her mind to more joys than she had imagined. She thinks of the lair as less of a fortress and more of a home and it feels.. .. ..
Nice.

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Mirniae's head boils with rage as she watches the dark skydancer emerge from the hoard with Nemoin on her back. Her own wings, nearly double her length, unfurl against the sun and she swoops from her pillar-perch. Her scream is nearly drowned out by Shadowseeker's but she is smaller, faster, and she slashes down at her ex-clanmate, missing but able to turn with speed borne of fury.
"GET OUT." The wildclaw roars and Sengti sneers.
"Runt. You can't stop us. Go back to your feeble life in the Light." Mirinae claws at her, but the skydancer is too fast, already in the air. She launches after them but she can't keep up; they are too fast, even loaded with five of her unconscious clan mates. She returns home still raging, but the demon sisters are there, all as angry as she and this, this is enough. They will eradicate the rotted remains of her old clan.

And hopefully see if her parents are still alive.


By Charun

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She stumbles off of Goldfoo's back after the assault and Gerard rears up to catch her. "Steady, steady." He whispers and Zei circles around uncertainly. Thomas shoos them off to expend what healing he has left before letting them retreat to the tunnels. The two drakes, uneasily sitting on either side of her, breathe gentle blasts of chill breath over her wounds.

She is glad for rest. That her mate and ex-mate now get along, whatever it was Zei did, makes it even easier for her to sleep. Surrounded by white and blue, it is harder to imagine the grasping shadows reaching for her again. Between patrolling with the clanguard and training with Raziel and Shirubake, she feels better about their safety in the darkness of the Hewn City. It's made them all a little bit closer, more like the small family she grew up with, despite how many dragons now make up the clan.

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Coralee comes up beside her as she walks to her new favorite perch at the Beacon.
"Shirubake told me you have a nice spot to watch the water. Is there enough room for two?"
"Mmm, did he now?" The wildclaw's tone is sarcastic but not biting. Her claws click against the cobble as they walk. He did suggest talking to her. Said it helped him. But they are two wildly different dragons. "...I think so. If you are a strong enough flier, at least."
"I can manage." Asserts the therapist and she does, managing the nearly vertical flight up the huge pillar that Mirinae climbs instead. Impressive. It is a nice view, they can almost see the Viridian Labyrinth from up here, the Behemoth rising above it, and down into the Tangled Wood. She chooses to face the ocean, and the skydancer does the same.

"Wow, this is a nice spot. Though I know you do it more for the scouting than the view." She jokes, spreading her wings to bask.
"Maybe fifty fifty. The sun is nice, so is the solitude. It is a good place."
"Do you still watch for them sometimes? Your old clan?"
"I don't want to talk about them." Mirinae cuts her off from that path briskly, giving a sharp shake of her head. "No one has heard anything of them since the assault and I am happy to keep it that way. I hope they've all gone jibbering mad and can't tell their jaws from their tails." She spreads her own wings to catch the warm sun. The morning light off the water is bright, but not at a blinding angle, and Coralee gives her the space to pile back up her walls.

"Is there something you do want to talk about today? Since you invited me? Or do you just want to soak up the sun?" The other dragoness rubs a claw over her bracelet. She appreciates the escape route, but she did decide to do this and she shouldn't back down now.
Can't show her fear her fear.
"I would like to feel safer. It's been a long time since the assault and I don't have to worry about them coming back anymore, I don't think, but I do. And Zei's been stressed sometimes about managing the whole gathering team, but I am not good at...." She vaguely claws the air, like she's wrestling a squirmy hatchling. "Being emotionally helpful."

Coralee's smile matches how the sun feels, even if the whole thing makes her uncomfortable.
"I get it. We'll find something that works for you. Have you tried-"